Teachers Institutes in the Humanities, Summer 2011
Grant award: $20,000 maximum
Preliminary Draft Deadline:    September 15, 2010
Final Draft Deadline:   October 15, 2010

The Ohio Humanities Council invites proposals for its Summer 2011 Teachers Institutes in the Humanities.  College and university departments–either solely or in conjunction with their education or continuing studies departments–may submit a proposal for a one-week seminar designed to enrich teachers’ understanding and appreciation of the humanities subjects they teach.  Because of a special initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities, OHC encourages institutes which explore significant topics in American or Ohio history, but proposals for any humanities themes are welcome.

REQUIREMENTS:

Strong Humanities Curriculum.  The Council is especially interested in teachers institutes which are multicultural and interdisciplinary.  For example, a recent OHC-supported humanities institute examined the experience of Somali immigrants in Ohio and elsewhere in the world in various expressive forms, including poetry, music, and personal narratives about family immigration experiences and living in the United States.  The curriculum included presentations by Somali educators, documentary films, and instruction by a professor of folklore who served as a peace corps worker in Somalia and has also done extensive fieldwork in that country.

Graduate Credit Option Required  for Participants.  OHC grant funds can be used to underwrite a portion of the costs of graduate credit or to provide scholarships for teachers and administrators of underserved student populations.  OHC encourages universities to offer tuition discounts as part of the required cost-share for a humanities institute. Cash stipends for attending teachers can be part of the institute  budget.

Institutes are designed for Ohio teachers.  Institutes should be open to K-12 teachers and administrators currently working in Ohio.  An institute should further plan schedules that allow time for teachers and faculty to interact with one another during meals and at evening events.  Ideal size for a summer institute is 20-25 teacher participants.  OHC encourages proposals which involve K-12 teachers or school administrators in the planning stages for an institute.  The proposal should include a recruitment plan for contacting teachers throughout the state by appropriate grades and subject area.

Follow-up Programming.  Proposals should outline a plan for follow-up programs to determine the success of the summer institute, strengthen communication between universities and local school districts, and identify ongoing questions and concerns from teachers and administrators.  Examples of follow-up programs include assessment meetings, classroom visits by institute faculty, mentoring sessions, etc.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

A proposal will be judged on the strength of its humanities content; the option of graduate credit hours for attendees;  potential for recruiting participants, especially from underserved school districts; credentials of the institute faculty; commitment of the host institution; and reasonableness of the proposed budget.  Because of the special requirements for a summer institute, applicants should submit a preliminary draft of their proposal by September 15.

To begin the application process, contact OHC Program Officer Jack Shortlidge:
by phone:   614/461-7802, or 1-800-293-9774 (in-state toll-free);  by email: jacks@ohiohumanities.org

He will be happy to answer questions, discuss ideas for institutes, share a sample summer institute proposal with potential applicants, and guide host institutions through the application process.